Air conditioner for a face mask



July 14, 1964 F. M. G LEOCKLER 3,140,590

AIR CONDITIONER FOR A FACE MASK Filed April 2 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR BYZHZ W EM. G4 50 0K1. 5/?

July 1 1954 M. QLEQQKLEB AIR CONDITIONER FOR A FACE MASK 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed April 26, 1963 INVENTOR KMGL EacK ER ATTORNEY w 8 6 5 9 5 w i 7W 7 r i e United States Patent 3,140,590 AIR CONDITIONER FOR A FACE MASKFrederick M. Gleockler, Rte. 70, E. Marlton Pike, Marlton, NJ. FiledApr. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 276,047 4 Claims. (Cl. 62-459) This inventionrelates to an air conditioner attachment adapted to be utilized with andform a part of a respirator for cooling and humidifying the air enteringa face mask and which air is additionally filtered n a conventionalmanner to remove therefrom noxious gases and dust particles.

One primary use of the invention, as presently contemplated, is inconnection with the spraying of vegetation. The spray materials utilizedinclude chemicals which are extremely harmful to the lungs, making itnecessary that the operator utilize a respirator. Such sprayingfrequently has to be done under extremely hot weather conditions so thatthe face mask becomes extremely uncomfortable due to the heat anddryness of the air. Consequently, it is extremely difficult not toremove or partially remove the face mask and which would be verydangerous to the user due to the noxious gases and dust in thesurrounding atmosphere.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to providea cooling unit which in cooling and humidifying the air being drawn intothe face mask will substantially eliminate the discomfort of wearing theface mask under hot weather conditions, and will thus minimize the riskof the operator removing or partially removing the face mask andexposing himself to injury.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an air conditioningattachment of extremely simple construction which may be readilyassembled with a conventional respirator and which can be effectivelyand safely utilized, and which is light in weight so that it will not beburdensome to the user.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterbecome more fully apparent from the following description of thedrawings, illustrating presently preferred embodiments thereof, andwherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, partly in vertical section, showingone embodiment of the air conditioning unit incorporated in and utilizedas an attachment for one type of respirator;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view, partly broken away, takensubstantially along the line 2-2 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, takensubstantially along a plane as indicated by the line 13-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken through aportion of the air conditioning unit;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevational view of another form of respirator andshowing another type of air conditioning attachment associatedtherewith;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view, partly in elevation, takensubstantially along the line 66 of FIG- URE 5, and

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view through the air conditioning unittaken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 77 of FIGURE6.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, and first with reference toFIGURES 1 to 4, a conventional face mask is shown in FIGURE 1 designatedgenerally 10 and is provided with a conventional outlet or exhaust valve11 and a nipple 12 containing a conventional inwardly opening checkvalve, not shown. Straps 13 extend from portions of the mask 10 andengage around the head of the wearer to hold the mask sealed against theface so that air can be inhaled by the wearer only through the nipple 12and can be expelled only through the outwardly opening check valve 11.

One end of an extensible and flexible hose 14, which is preferablyformed of rubber, is secured around the nipple 12 by a clamp 15.

A canister, designated generally 16, which is of a conventional typeutilized as a part of a respirator is secured by lacing 17 to a harnessmember 18 which in turn is fastened to a neck encircling strap 19 bywhich the canister 16 is suspended from the neck of the wearer. As shownin FIGURE 2, the canister has an intake opening 20 in the top thereofcontrolled by an inwardly opening check valve 21 and the other lower endof the canister 16 has an externally threaded outlet nipple 22. Thecanister 16, in a conventional respirator assembly, is inverted withrespect to its position of FIGURES l and 2 and the other end of the hose14 is connected to the nipple 22 to complete the conventional assembly.

However, in the present invention the respirator, designated generally23, additionally includes an air conditioning or cooling unit,designated generally 24. Said unit includes a receptacle 25 whichpreferably contains ice cubes 26 and which is provided with a threadedcap or closure 27. A sealing ring or gasket 28 provides an effective airseal between the receptacle and closure. The receptacle 25 and closure27 may be formed of metal or other impervious material. One end of anangular or L-shaped conduit 29 is formed integral with or suitablysecured to the receptacle 25 near the top thereof and said conduit 29has an upturned opposite end 30. One end of a rigid pipe or conduit 31is formed integral with or suitably connected to the closure 27, near aportion of its rim or periphery, and extends upwardly therefrom, Thethreaded connection 32 between the flanged rim of the closure 27 and theopen top of the receptacle 25 is constructed so that when the closure 27is tightened on the receptacle 25 the pipe 31 will be located in closeproximity to the pipe 29, as clearly illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 4, fora purpose which will hereinafter become apparent. The other lower end ofthe hose 14 is secured around the upper end of the pipe 31 by a secondclamp 15.

One end of a short rigid tube 33 is connected to the nipple 22 by aninternally threaded cap member 34 which is swivelly mounted on the tube33 and threadedly engages over the nipple 22. A short length of flexibleand non-elastic hose of rubber or similar material, designated 35, hasan upper end engaging over the tube 33 and a lower end engaging over theupturned conduit end 30, and which hose ends are secured to the parts 33and 30 by conventional clamps 36.

The canister 16 contains gas absorbing material which must be maintainedin a dry condition. This is normally provided for by having the intakeport 20 located on the underside of the canister. However, since thecanister 16 is inverted when utilized as a part of the respirator 23including the air conditioning unit 24, the canister 16 is modified tothe extent that a shield 37 is secured thereto so as to completely coverthe wall 37a thereof in which the intake port 20 is formed and whichshield has openings 38 at the ends thereof which face downwardly andoutwardly, as seen in FIGURE 2, and through which air enters the shieldfrom which it can be drawn into the canister 16 through the inwardlyopening check valve 21 thereof, as indicated by the arrows 39.

The canister 16, tube 33, hose 35, conduit 29, a part of the receptacle25, the conduit 31, hose 14 and nipple 12 form an air intake passagewhich discharges into the mask 10. Accordingly, all air drawn from thesurrounding atmosphere by the breathing of the wearer of the mask 10 isfiltered in passing through the canister 16 and is thereafter cooled andmoistened in passing through a portion of the receptacle 25 by the iceor coolant 26 contained in said receptacle, so that only purified,cooled and moistened air enters the mask 10, which air after beingbreathed by the wearer of the mask is discharged through the out wardlyopening exhaust valve 11. Thus, even though the respirator 23 is beingutilized under extremely hot and dry conditions the mask thereof can beworn in comfort. The tube or conduit 31 may be formed of a rigidmaterial which will tend to retain cold so that air passing upwardlytherethrough from the receptacle will retain its low temperature. Thereceptacle 25 may be formed of a material having heat and coldinsulating characteristics to retard melting of the ice 26 therein, sothat the respirator 23 may be used for a considerable period of time,even under extremely hot conditions, before the ice 26 will havecompletely melted, and even thereafter the cool water within thereceptacle 25 will function as a coolant and humidifier for a furtherperiod of time. The attachment 24 is relatively light in weight, evenwhen substantially filled with the coolant 26, so that the weightthereof will not be burdensome to the wearer of the respirator.

Since it is important that no liquid reach the canister 16, the pipes 29and 31 are disposed near the inner side of the receptacle 25, that is,the side thereof nearest the canister 16, to minimize any tendency ofthe receptacle to tilt toward the canister 16 while being worn, so thatno water from the melted ice 26 can flow back through the conduit 29toward the canister. When the closure 27 is removed the receptacle 25can readily be titled clockwise as seen in FIGURE 1 for emptying thewater therefrom and so that none of the water will enter the conduit 29which will be swung upwardly by such tilting of the canister.

FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 illustrate another embodiment of the inventionutilized with a smaller face mask which covers the nose and mouth andwhich is held applied to the face by head encircling straps 41. Theconventional respirator 42 of which the mask 40 forms a part includestwo cylindrical housings 43 which are fastened to the exterior of theface mask and which open into the interior of the face mask throughports controlled by inwardly opening check valves, not shown. Theexternally threaded open outer end 44 of each housing 43 is providedwith a removable internally threaded flanged ring 45 which retains aconventional filter cartridge, not shown, within the housing 43. Themask 40 has an outwardly opening check valve 46 disposed between thehousings 43 and constituting the exhaust port of the respirator. All ofthe parts of the respirator 42, previously described, are conventional.The wearer in breathing draws air inwardly through the two housings 43,which air is purified to remove all noxious gases and dust particlestherefrom in passing through the conventional filters contained in thehousings 43, and this air after being breathed by the wearer isexhausted from the mask 40 only through the exhaust port 46.

An air conditioning unit, designated generally 47, is shown associatedwith each housing 43. As the units 47 are identical, a description ofone will sufiice for both. Each air conditioning unit 47 includes areceptacle 48 having a threaded open upper end 49 to which the enlargedend 50 of a coupling or closure member 51 is threadedly connected. Themember 51 has a restricted open upper end 52 which fits into an end of ahose or flexible conduit 53, which is secured thereto in any suitablemanner as by means of a conventional clamp 54. The other end of the hose53 is stretched over the retaining ring 45 and is secured thereto by aconventional clamp 55.

The receptacle 48 is disposed within a larger container 56 and thebottom 57 of {the receptacle 48 is secured to the bottom 58 of thesurrounding container 56 in any conventional manner, as by soldering, asseen at 59 in FIG- URE 6. The container 56 has an open upper end 60which is disposed adjacent the threaded end 49 of the receptacle 48. Thecontainer 56 is disposed concentrically around and spaced from thereceptacle 48 to define a surrounding air chamber 61 for the receptacle48 which is open at the end 60 of the container 56. The receptacle 48has a series of circumferentially spaced inlet ports 62 which arelocated beneath but near the upper end 60 of the container 56 and whichcommunicate with the chamber 61. The receptacle 48 is filled orpartially filled with a coolant such ice cubes 63.

As the wearer of the mask 40 inhales, air is drawn into the air chamber61 of each cooling unit 47 through the open end 60 of the container 56and, as indicated by the arrows 64 in FIGURE 6, the air is drawn intothe receptacle 48 through the ports 62 and is cooled by the coolant 63,after which the air passes upwardly through the hose 53 into and throughthe housing 43. The air in passing through the housing 43 is filtered bythe conventional filter cartridge contained therein, not shown, forremoving noxious gases and particles from the air, after which the airenters the mask 40 through a conventional check valve, not shown, whichopens into the mask. The air after being breathed and exhaled isexhausted from the mask through the outwardly opening check valve of theexhaust port 46.

It will be readily apparent that the air chamber 61 will provide heatand cold insulation for the receptacle 48 for trapping cold which isconducted from the receptacle 48 so that the ice 63 will last aconsiderable period of time in the receptacle 48. In addition, a part ofthe cold air in the chamber 61 will be drawn through the ports 62 sothat a portion of the air passing through the cooling unit 47 will bepre-cooled before entering the receptacle 48. The units 47 may be maderelatively small and light in weight, even when filled with the coolant63, so that said units may be readily suspended from the housings 43 bythe hoses 53 without being burdensome to the wearer of the mask 40. Themelting from the ice 63 will collect in the receptacles 48 and any ofthis water which might splash outwardly through the ports 62 will becaught in the chamber 61. The receptacles 48, with the containers 56attached thereto, may be readily unscrewed from the couplings 51 foremptying the water therefrom and for replenishing the coolant 63.

It will also be readily apparent that only a single unit 47 could beutilized with the respirator 42 so that only a portion of the airentering the mask 40 would be cooled and humidified.

Various other modifications and changes are contemplated and may beresorted to, without departing from the function or scope of theinvention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a respirator including a face mask, an airpassage through which air is conveyed to the face mask from theatmosphere, and an air filter interposed in said air passage; an airconditioning unit including a receptacle containing ice, said receptacleforming a part of the air passage for cooling the air passingtherethrough and being disposed below the level of the air filter, saidreceptacle having an open top, a removable closure for said open top, aconduit communicating with said receptacle and extending from saidclosure to the mask and forming a part of the air passage, and a secondconduit forming a part of the air passage having a lower discharge endopening into said receptacle beneath said closure and an upper inlet endconnected to and communicating with an outlet port of the air filter.

2. In a combination as defined by claim 1, said discharge end of thesecond conduit being disposed adjacent said closure and in a part of thereceptacle located nearest the air filter, and the end of said firstmentioned conduit, leading from the closure, being disposed in a part of(siaid closure located in close proximity to said second conuit.

3. In combination with a respirator including a face mask, an airpassage through which air is conveyed to the face mask from theatmosphere, and an air filter interposed in said air passage; an aircooling unit including a receptacle containing ice, said receptacleforming a part of the air passage for cooling the air passingtherethrough and being disposed below the level of the air filter, saidair filter being interposed in the air passage between said receptacleand the face mask, and said air passage including a conduit portionextending between the receptacle and air filter and supporting saidreceptacle, said conduit portion including a part detachably connectedto an end of the receptacle and removable therefrom for replenishing theice and a flexible part extending from said first mentioned part to theair filter.

4. In combination with a respirator including a face mask, an airpassage through which air is conveyed to the face mask from theatmosphere, and an air filter interposed in said air passage; an airconditioning unit including a receptacle adapted to contain a coolant,said receptacle forming a part of the air passage for cooling the airpassing therethrough and being disposed below the level of the airfilter, said air filter being interposed in the air passage between saidreceptacle and the face mask, said air passage including a conduitportion extending between the receptacle and air filter and supportingsaid receptacle,

said conduit portion including a part detachably connected to an end ofthe receptacle and removable therefrom for replenishing the coolant anda flexible part extending from said first mentioned part to the airfilter, a container secured to and surrounding a substantial portion ofthe receptacle and combining therewith to provide an insulating airchamber around the receptacle having an open end for receiving air fromthe atmosphere, and said receptacle having ports communicating with saidair chamber and combining therewith to form parts of said air passage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,117,922 Sterkel Nov. 17, 1914 1,978,994 Fortunato Oct. 30, 19342,381,568 Booharin Aug. 7, 1945 2,390,233 Akerrnan Dec. 4, 19452,706,983 Matheson et al Apr. 26, 1955 2,784,714 Pitzipio Mar. 27, 19573,018,776 Saitta et a1. Jan. 30, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 679,559 FranceJan. 10, 1930

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A RESPIRATOR INCLUDING A FACE MASK, AN AIRPASSAGE THROUGH WHICH AIR IS CONVEYED TO THE FACE MASK FROM THEATMOSPHERE, AND AN AIR FILTER INTERPOSED IN SAID AIR PASSAGE; AN AIRCONDITIONING UNIT INCLUDING A RECEPTACLE CONTAINING ICE, SAID RECEPTACLEFORMING A PART OF THE AIR PASSAGE FOR COOLING THE AIR PASSINGTHERETHROUGH AND BEING DISPOSED BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE AIR FILTER, SAIDRECEPTACLE HAVING AN OPEN TOP, A REMOVABLE CLOSURE FOR SAID OPEN TOP, ACONDUIT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID RECEPTACLE AND EXTENDING FROM SAIDCLOSURE TO THE MASK AND FORMING A PART OF THE AIR PASSAGE, AND A SECONDCONDUIT FORMING A PART OF THE AIR PASSAGE HAVING A LOWER DISCHARGE ENDOPENING INTO SAID RECEPTACLE BENEATH SAID CLOSURE AND AN UPPER INLET ENDCONNECTED TO AND COMMUNICATING WITH AN OUTLET PORT OF THE AIR FILTER.